1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to apparatus and methods for installing shape memory devices in wellbores.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, are recovered from subterranean formations using a well or wellbore drilled into such formations. In some cases the wellbore is completed by placing a casing along the wellbore length and perforating the casing adjacent each production zone (hydrocarbon bearing zone) to extract fluids (such as oil and gas) from such a production zone. In other cases, the wellbore may be an open hole, which may be used to produce hydrocarbons or inject steam or other substances into a geological formation. One or more flow control devices are placed in the wellbore to control the flow of fluids from the formation into the wellbore. These flow control devices and production zones are generally fluidly isolated or separated from each other by installing a packer between them. Other devices also are utilized to temporarily plug sections of a wellbore or to control flow of fluids through the wellbore or a production string deployed to convey formation fluid to the surface. Certain devices having shape memory materials (shape memory devices) have been disclosed and utilized in wellbores for such purposes. A shape memory material can be heated to or above its glass transition temperature to attain a selected or desired expanded shape or state and then compressed to desired compressed shape to retain it in such compressed shape at temperatures below the glass transition temperature. When the shape material is again heated to or above its glass transition temperature, it expands to the expanded shape. For wellbore applications, a shape memory material or member, which may be a part of a device or tool, is typically formed in a compressed state and then deployed in the wellbore. The wellbores typically contain a fluid, such as a drilling or another fluid and are often at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the shape memory material. The shape memory device deployed in the wellbore heats over time and attains the expanded shape. However, in certain wells, the temperature is not sufficiently high to heat the shape memory device above its glass transition temperature or the heating process may take a relatively long time to cause the shape memory device to expand. It is thus desirable to have devices in the wellbore to controllably heat the shape memory devices in the wellbore to cause the shape memory materials to attain their expanded shapes.
The present disclosure provides shape memory devices and systems for controllably heating and setting such shape memory device in wellbores.